July 9, 2025 • 8 mins
Introducing I Never Told You This: Two People. One big reveal. A simple card deck with questions. Some are light-hearted, some deeper…and one that says ‘I Never Told You This’ - the chance for one person to share something they’ve never told the other before.
In the fifth episode of 'I Never Told You This', Ula shares the truth about her challenging childhood with her cousin, Tina.Head to Medibank to learn more about the Family Roast card game that sparked the conversation.
The experiences shared and views expressed are those of the people featured and do not reflect the views of Medibank. This is not health advice. If you or someone you know needs help, you should always consult a trusted health professional. For further support and guidance, visit Medibank Mental Health. Or, if in need of immediate support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
You're listening to a Muma Mia podcast. Mamma Maya acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land and waters that this
podcast is recorded on.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm a Shiny Dante host of But Are You Happy?
Did you know that one in five Australians experience and
mental health condition each year, Yet too many suffer in silence.
Talking about our feelings and experiences is one of the
most powerful steps towards healing and knowing we're not alone.
That's why we're introducing I Never told you This, a
(00:40):
series created to spark honest, meaningful conversations that support better
mental well being, brought to you by Medibank.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I'm just actually feeling really freaking angry right now. What
a wasted emotion? Pride is two people, one big reveal.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I never told you this, A simple card game where
one question could change everything.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
It starts live What's more things brings my joy?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I'm not going to answer that.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Then comes the moment that could shift a relationship forever.
As they finished this sentence.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
I never told you this.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I've never told you. They never told you this.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Today, cousins Tina and Dula will be sitting down together.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I don't know how she's going to take what I'll
be sharing with her. Yula has something big to reveal
to her cousin Tina. Hi, Well, I've got this fun
game called the Mediebank Family Roast Card Game.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Why not? I'm up for anything.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
I'm going to pick up a card now. In what
way do you think we're similar?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Both can talk underwater, Both got a very quirky outlook
on life, willing to train anything once. How long will
we got.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
My John?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Let's go tell us about an embarrassing childhood memory.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
At your house in the country, when I decided to
lock my sister in the out what are they called
the toilet outhouse and didn't tell anyone came inside the
house or playing or playing and dancing to music. I
got into so much trouble. It was a very bad
thing to do, and I'm very you regret it. I'm
(02:22):
not going to answer that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Is there a family tradition you hope continues for generations?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
In our culture? Great Easter is one of the biggest nights.
It's quite spectacular.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And in the middle of the night. That's something different.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
My turn to pick up a card. I never told
you this, Okay, you know how whenever I see you,
you are constantly asking me why I'm giving you things,
(03:00):
whether it's food, useless objects, nice things, And we've tried,
you've tried to diagnose it. I'm correct, correct, and I
do know why I do it. And it's because the
big one when I was about between the ages of
(03:25):
eight and twelve, whenever you close the takeaway shop that
you owned in the country eight hours six eight hours away,
it was you'd come down for public holidays. You'd call
us when you're on your way, and then we'd just
been camped outside waiting and counting the cars for the
whole hours, and then when you'd finally get there and say, oh,
(03:46):
you know, you're so excited to see me, which I
genuinely was. But part of the reason I was excited
was that I knew your family would be bringing all
the food from the shop. I don't know whether you knew.
My mum never wanted me to tell you. She didn't
(04:09):
want any of you to know that we didn't have
money for food.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
The rest of this episode of I never told you this.
Right after the break.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I remember some weeks we would eat nothing but boiled potatoes.
We would often go days without any food. We were
literally starving, and just seeing that car and all the
food and things that I would never be able to
afford to buy, like chips and chocolates, was just like
(04:45):
our lifeline.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Wow. I'm sorry, that's huge. I had no idea. I'm
just actually feeling really freaking angry right now because it
just goes to show what a wasted emotion pride is.
You know, you're cousins. We never wanted for anything. We
didn't have lots of everything. We had enough, and to
(05:11):
think that you guys didn't have enough breaks my heart.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
And I'm sure if my family, my parents reached out,
your parents would have absolutely helped us.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
You always look after the children. It's not anything to
put an extra plate out, do you know what I mean.
I know things were hard, like you know, especially for
immigrant families, you know, with parents learning English as a
second language, things were quite tough. But I remember my
dad telling me, you know that he'd often work three
or four jobs at a time just to try and
make ends meet. But I just assumed that you guys
were always okay.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, my dad had his own issues and couldn't
keep a job down. My mum had mental health issues.
Both our families migrated. Your parents opened up a shop
and were doing well. Mine was struggling to make ends
meet or hold down any regular work. Your parents were
successful and they were failures.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Well, I think that's something that's just endemic and bunks,
not just Greeks, but lots of cultures. They waste their
time worrying about what are the people going to think,
when actually no one's thinking of about them at all.
If my dad had known that things were that difficult
for you, he would have employed your parents. You know,
we could have all lived together and worked together because
God knows we needed workers. You know something, it didn't
(06:21):
have to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Moving forward, it's how do we make it better for
us and our children and how important it is to
ask for help. It might be the norm to suffer
in silence, so we know in our culture it's a
pride thing. But we need to change that, and we
change that by coming out setting an example.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Well, I mean, remember when we were kids. You couldn't
find any You couldn't find a translator. How many times
did you get dragged to an office with your mum
and trying to explain something? You know? So I think
definitely is a social thing. We are progressing as a society,
but as you said, it is very important that new
companies understand. Everybody needs to understand it's okay. You know,
there's nothing wrong with asking for help, and all you're
(07:07):
doing by having on some ridiculous pride is just injuring yourself.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I feel like this whole weight has come off and
that I can sleep well tonight, you know, decades later.
As soon as I see your car pulling up, it
just takes me back to that childhood, and the instinct
is the happiness, the happiness, the food, and I just
feel eternally obligated to give something back, which is why
I will not let you leave my house without things,
(07:38):
whether it's olaves or sweets, it's just this.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
You've held onto this for so many years, and how
many hours have we wasted try to God knows what
kind of disorder you have.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
We've got a reverse hoarding. Thank you. I really appreciate
you coming on board today. I know it's been suspenseful,
and I hope you are able to accept what happened
and not take any responsibility for it and just appreciate
(08:09):
what you did and what a big impact you had
in my life, because that's what I want this to
be about.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I don't think it's anything I couldn't ask you for,
and I hope that you feel the same. I genuine
I do
You're listening to a Muma Mia podcast. Mamma Maya acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land and waters that this
podcast is recorded on.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm a Shiny Dante host of But Are You Happy?
Did you know that one in five Australians experience and
mental health condition each year, Yet too many suffer in silence.
Talking about our feelings and experiences is one of the
most powerful steps towards healing and knowing we're not alone.
That's why we're introducing I Never told you This, a
(00:40):
series created to spark honest, meaningful conversations that support better
mental well being, brought to you by Medibank.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I'm just actually feeling really freaking angry right now. What
a wasted emotion? Pride is two people, one big reveal.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I never told you this, A simple card game where
one question could change everything.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
It starts live What's more things brings my joy?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I'm not going to answer that.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Then comes the moment that could shift a relationship forever.
As they finished this sentence.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
I never told you this.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I've never told you. They never told you this.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Today, cousins Tina and Dula will be sitting down together.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I don't know how she's going to take what I'll
be sharing with her. Yula has something big to reveal
to her cousin Tina. Hi, Well, I've got this fun
game called the Mediebank Family Roast Card Game.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Why not? I'm up for anything.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
I'm going to pick up a card now. In what
way do you think we're similar?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Both can talk underwater, Both got a very quirky outlook
on life, willing to train anything once. How long will
we got.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
My John?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Let's go tell us about an embarrassing childhood memory.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
At your house in the country, when I decided to
lock my sister in the out what are they called
the toilet outhouse and didn't tell anyone came inside the
house or playing or playing and dancing to music. I
got into so much trouble. It was a very bad
thing to do, and I'm very you regret it. I'm
(02:22):
not going to answer that.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Is there a family tradition you hope continues for generations?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
In our culture? Great Easter is one of the biggest nights.
It's quite spectacular.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And in the middle of the night. That's something different.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
My turn to pick up a card. I never told
you this, Okay, you know how whenever I see you,
you are constantly asking me why I'm giving you things,
(03:00):
whether it's food, useless objects, nice things, And we've tried,
you've tried to diagnose it. I'm correct, correct, and I
do know why I do it. And it's because the
big one when I was about between the ages of
(03:25):
eight and twelve, whenever you close the takeaway shop that
you owned in the country eight hours six eight hours away,
it was you'd come down for public holidays. You'd call
us when you're on your way, and then we'd just
been camped outside waiting and counting the cars for the
whole hours, and then when you'd finally get there and say, oh,
(03:46):
you know, you're so excited to see me, which I
genuinely was. But part of the reason I was excited
was that I knew your family would be bringing all
the food from the shop. I don't know whether you knew.
My mum never wanted me to tell you. She didn't
(04:09):
want any of you to know that we didn't have
money for food.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
The rest of this episode of I never told you this.
Right after the break.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
I remember some weeks we would eat nothing but boiled potatoes.
We would often go days without any food. We were
literally starving, and just seeing that car and all the
food and things that I would never be able to
afford to buy, like chips and chocolates, was just like
(04:45):
our lifeline.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Wow. I'm sorry, that's huge. I had no idea. I'm
just actually feeling really freaking angry right now because it
just goes to show what a wasted emotion pride is.
You know, you're cousins. We never wanted for anything. We
didn't have lots of everything. We had enough, and to
(05:11):
think that you guys didn't have enough breaks my heart.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
And I'm sure if my family, my parents reached out,
your parents would have absolutely helped us.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
You always look after the children. It's not anything to
put an extra plate out, do you know what I mean.
I know things were hard, like you know, especially for
immigrant families, you know, with parents learning English as a
second language, things were quite tough. But I remember my
dad telling me, you know that he'd often work three
or four jobs at a time just to try and
make ends meet. But I just assumed that you guys
were always okay.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, my dad had his own issues and couldn't
keep a job down. My mum had mental health issues.
Both our families migrated. Your parents opened up a shop
and were doing well. Mine was struggling to make ends
meet or hold down any regular work. Your parents were
successful and they were failures.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Well, I think that's something that's just endemic and bunks,
not just Greeks, but lots of cultures. They waste their
time worrying about what are the people going to think,
when actually no one's thinking of about them at all.
If my dad had known that things were that difficult
for you, he would have employed your parents. You know,
we could have all lived together and worked together because
God knows we needed workers. You know something, it didn't
(06:21):
have to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Moving forward, it's how do we make it better for
us and our children and how important it is to
ask for help. It might be the norm to suffer
in silence, so we know in our culture it's a
pride thing. But we need to change that, and we
change that by coming out setting an example.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Well, I mean, remember when we were kids. You couldn't
find any You couldn't find a translator. How many times
did you get dragged to an office with your mum
and trying to explain something? You know? So I think
definitely is a social thing. We are progressing as a society,
but as you said, it is very important that new
companies understand. Everybody needs to understand it's okay. You know,
there's nothing wrong with asking for help, and all you're
(07:07):
doing by having on some ridiculous pride is just injuring yourself.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I feel like this whole weight has come off and
that I can sleep well tonight, you know, decades later.
As soon as I see your car pulling up, it
just takes me back to that childhood, and the instinct
is the happiness, the happiness, the food, and I just
feel eternally obligated to give something back, which is why
I will not let you leave my house without things,
(07:38):
whether it's olaves or sweets, it's just this.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
You've held onto this for so many years, and how
many hours have we wasted try to God knows what
kind of disorder you have.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
We've got a reverse hoarding. Thank you. I really appreciate
you coming on board today. I know it's been suspenseful,
and I hope you are able to accept what happened
and not take any responsibility for it and just appreciate
(08:09):
what you did and what a big impact you had
in my life, because that's what I want this to
be about.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I don't think it's anything I couldn't ask you for,
and I hope that you feel the same. I genuine
I do
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